How time and space is constructed in TV series

1. How time and space are constructed in TV series

Kakhnovskaia Daria

2. Episodic structure

• TV series as a type of medium that
tries to build itself into the schedule
of its typical viewer.

3.

“It has memory, referring back to previous
episodes and seasons in the development of
plot.” Robert Thompson
Clip show
an episode of a television series that consists
primarily of excerpts from previous episodes.
“Breaking Bad”
“Referring back” can be done with a help of a significant item
“The One With The Invitation”

4. Commercial breaks

• Commercial breaks “break” the involvement in a TV showwatching experience. Therefore, kind of breaks continuity and
the flow of the events happening on the screen and brings the
viewer back to real space/time from medium-constructed
space/time.

5. The nature of TV series

It’s a story that is told through a long period of time. So, there’s
certain familiarity that comes with it.

6. Recaps

• “Previously on…” used in TV series structure in
order to bring the viewer up to speed on what’s
been going on, to emerge the viewer to the
perception of a new reality.

7. Laugh tracks in sitcoms

"laughter is social. It's easier to laugh when
you're with people."
While still one of the top genres of contemporary American
television, sitcom has been making room for a new breed of
comedy series, which rely on different technical specifications
and take a new stance on television making - to the point of
redefining what comedy is. (A, Savorelli)
The effects of the laugh track are twofold: firstly, they signal
not only that sitcom is intended to be funny, but also exactly
where specific jokes are, and how the audience at home should
be reacting to them; secondly, they create a communal,
theatrical experience for that domestic audience, for it’s
assumed that people laugh more, and find things funnier, if
they hear other people laughing too. (Brett Mills)

8. Space in situational comedies

• The use of three or four cameras crates an effect of openness
• One of the most space-defining elements in American
sitcom is the couch, usually places in the center of the room
or the shot.
“In any room containing a couch, the
main shot is the frontal one, with a
slightly diagonal variant that allows those
sitting on the sides to be shot at an angle
similar to those sitting on the couch, thus
eliminating or diminishing any possible
hierarchies among actors.” (A. Savorelli)
“Spatial ranking”:
Important actions – higher-rank
space
Collateral action (episode tag) –
lower-rank space

9. Modelling time and space with filmmaking tools